Behind-the-scenes look at how inflight meals are prepared

A long-haul flight can require between 800-1,000 meals depending on factors like aircraft size and flight duration. For instance, an Airbus A380 traveling from New York to Dubai provides two full meals and a snack during its 13-hour journey.

Meals in Business and First Class cabins are more complex and costly compared to those in Economy Class. An economy meal costs $5-$15 per passenger, while Business Class meals range from $30-$50. First Class offerings can exceed $100 per meal due to their upscale nature.

The trend towards improving onboard dining began in the mid-2000s when legacy carriers sought to provide gourmet experiences for premium passengers. Gate Gourmet established Studio Cullinaire with this aim in mind. Damon Kesseler from Gate Gourmet’s JFK facility describes their collaboration with renowned chefs: "We'll have conversations and workshops with the chefs... For example, with Daniel Boulud, I cooked next to him in preparation for a presentation to a client — a meal that I had to replicate for presentation to the airline."

Chefs play an active role in designing these gourmet experiences by creating guidelines for food presentation and training personnel accordingly. Kessler adds: "They'll be directly involved in the presentation... They'll design a plate, create a list of ingredients and send it to us."

The menu approval process involves detailed discussions between airlines and catering companies like Gate Gourmet. Once approved after testing under simulated cabin conditions at cruising altitude, menus are entered into databases for procurement purposes.

Airlines adjust their menus periodically; Business Class options might change monthly while Economy offerings rotate quarterly.